Mercury Prize Nominees Announced

The nominee's for this year's Mercury Prize were announced yesterday (July 22). The Mercury Prize is awarded to the best album in the UK and Ireland. Created in the early nineties the prize was said to be an alternative to the UK's BRIT Awards that were generally dominated by the record industry. As such the prize tends to go to less commercially successful bands. Though there is money given out with the Mercury Prize it is really the increased record sales due to increased media awareness that is the real prize. Similar prizes are given out around the world such as the Polaris Music Prize in Canada.

This year's nominees are a mixed bag. The Last Shadow Puppets' member Alex Tuner is used to the Mercury Prize shortlist having been nominated twice, and winning the award one of those two times, as a member of the Arctic Monkeys.

A few music mainstays are on the list including Raising Sand an album by Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant and bluegrass singer Alison Krauss. Radiohead have been nominated for the prize for the fourth time for their album In Rainbows. They were previously nominated for 1997's OK Computer, 2001's Amnesiac and 2003's Hail to the Thief. Music newbie, 20 year-old jazz-soul singer Adele has also made the list along with hip-hopper Estelle.

Notable bands left off the list this year include soul singer Duffy and multi-platinum selling Britpop band Coldplay.

The winner will be announced on September 9. Here is the full shortlist: